Christmas on Sovereign
by Baird's Girl 1997
Summary: Sam is feeling down about not being able to celebrate Christmas on board the ship, so a certain blonde mechanic comes to cheer her up. Sam finds out more about Baird's childhood, and they both decide to do something nice for each other! Read on to find out how the rest goes. ;) (Gears of War belongs solely to Epic Games)
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys, this is going to be my rendition of a Gears of War Christmas story! I've was originally going to do one on Azura, maybe a few years in the future, but I noticed that my sister wrote one in that same location. So I decided that writing about Baird and Sam on Sovereign would be different, and that way, none of her ideas would rub off on me by accident. :P _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy, R&R, and the second chapter will be updated before Christmas._

_(Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!) _

Sam sat in the mess hall, cautiously blowing on the fresh cup of coffee that sat on the table in front of her, watching the ripples that constantly broke the calm surface of the steaming liquid with distracted interest.

Sighing, she once again felt the hull of Sovereign groan under the weight of another massive wave; the storm outside was giving the old ship one hell of a night.

She knew that the unexpected cease of lambent stalks should've left her in a better mood, or at least grateful, but in that current hour of the night, the brunette gear couldn't help but feel slightly downcast as her mind drifted over the upcoming holiday that she wouldn't be able to celebrate.

_Christmas._

The very thought of the word sent a chill down her spine, and the memories came flooding back in torrents; both as ponderous and unrelenting as the gale outside. Sam couldn't count on both hands the times that she and her mother always attempted to make holidays enjoyable, and Christmas was never an acceptation, even with their meager "salary" and constant shortages on just about everything. Whether it was a bigger fire then usual, or a small treat baked especially for that occasion, or a hand-me-down sweater that was always referred to as "new to you", there was always something for Sam to look forward to, even through the harshest of frosts.

Downing the last sip of coffee, Sam groaned as she stood up, making a mental note not to sit for so long as she walked over to the counter to refill her cup.

Despite the weary feeling that came with staying up so late, Sam was glad that she chose the nightly hours for her visit; not a single person was there to break the serine atmosphere of 3:30am.

As if on cue, the soft creaking of the door caused her to turn, and instantly, her brown eyes met the blue counterparts of Damon Baird.

The blonde mechanic stood in the doorframe for half a second, as if trying to decide whether to leave the female gear by herself before finally resigning himself to the fact that he needed coffee just as much as she did.

Sam gave him a nod, but other then that, Baird didn't receive any hint of recognition, and he noticed that her eyes lacked there usual gleaming mischief whenever she was around him.

"What the hell are you doing up?" he finally asked while pouring himself a cup of the weak coffee, desperately trying to break the awkward silence that had ensued ever since he had walked in.

She blinked twice before giving him eye contact, and for the first time since he walked in, she seemed to notice him.

"I could ask you the same thing." She replied slowly, apprehensive to the dark circles under the mechanic's eyes.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes as if to convey his point further.

"Yeah, case' you haven't noticed, "Baird to CIC" is a _pretty_ popular term around here." While speaking, he gestured with one hand to the tool belt that was constantly strapped around his waist, careful to keep the other hand steady to prevent spills.

Despite herself, Sam couldn't help but grin; She knew how much Baird enjoyed being relied on, even if it meant doing a little extra work.

"And… you think that's funny." Although it wasn't a question, Baird still looked at her expectantly while leaning the small of his back against the counter, waiting for a response.

Finally, Sam's expression sobered, and she shrugged before going back to one of the long tables.

As she walked off, Baird's eyebrows raised above the bridge of his nose, confusion plain on his face as he cocked his head slightly to the side. He had defiantly expected more of a fight.

"Hey Sam?" he asked while following her to the table.

"Mmm?" she hummed in response, obviously still preoccupied.

"Is everything…alright?" he took a seat across from Sam, desperately searching her face for any hint of what was on her mind while slowly spinning his cup on the table. She stayed silent for a few seconds before replying.

"Yeah…its nothing. I'm just tired." She looked into the coffee, avoiding his questioning gaze.

Baird simply raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Sam, you're a horrible liar. If you were tired, you'd be in bed, now what is it?"

For half a second, the female gear debated whether or not to lash out at her company, say something along the lines of _since when have you cared_ before going back to her own room. She got as far as opening her mouth before realizing that, despite the cocky half-smile, Baird's approach had sounded genuine, like he really _did_ care, and wanted to help lighten her spirits.

"Sam…? _Sam_?" The blonde's voice interrupted her train of thought, and she suddenly remembered that her mouth was still half open. Closing it quickly, Sam exhaled, knowing she was defeated. Pursing her lips before speaking, the brunette gear finally told him what had been on her mind all night. She talked about Christmas trees and her small family on Anvagad. About everything that made spending the holidays with her mother special. When finished, she exhaled, shrugging at Baird, who had been silent the entire time.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and occasionally, the rhythmic splashing of rain against the ocean was broken by a quick flash of lightning followed by rolling thunder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Baird staring at her with what she thought could be sympathy.

Finally, Sam mustered a half smile before speaking, turning back to her companion.

"Hey blondie, what was Christmas like, you know, with your family?"

A humorless laugh past his lips, and for a split second, Sam could've sworn she saw something between anger or regret flash in his powder blue eyes. Instantly, she wished she hadn't asked the question. Baird's childhood was always a touchy subject, and whenever it was brought up, it almost always resulted with him leaving the room. However, the hidden emotion that clouded his eyes left as quickly as it came, and instead of getting up to leave, the blonde mechanic rested his forearms on the table, turning his attention to the window on the far side of the room. Sam could tell that he had something to say, but was having trouble getting the words out. Before she could tell him to forget the question, he looked back at her.

"My family never really _did_ Christmas. I mean_ sure_, they always had their annual party with their "high society friends", but… they always made sure little Damon stayed up in his room and out of the way. You can imagine why the holidays were never a high point for me during the year."

Again, the room fell silent, and Sam was wondering how to respond when the speakers sounded above their heads, a low voice saying, "Baird to CIC."

A soft groan escaped the mechanic's lips while he jokingly rested his forehead on the table.

Despite their recently serious conversation, the brunette couldn't help but giggle.

"Well, I guess that's my cue." Baird was about to get up when Sam placed her hand over his, earning an astonished glance from her companion.

"Hey Baird, thanks…Y'know, for listening." She gave him an appreciative smile, and after his immediate reaction of surprise died down somewhat, he awkwardly returned the gesture, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as the tips of his ears turned red.

"Goodnight Byrne." Baird said as he closed the door, giving her eye contact right before he left.

Again, the mess hall was enveloped in silence, and Sam was once again left alone with her thoughts. She wondered how she could make tomorrow, Christmas, more enjoyable for the blonde mechanic.

As she brought her cup over to the sink, an idea suddenly popped into her head, and a devious smile played across her lips.

"Goodnight Baird." She muttered to herself with a soft chuckle before returning to her room.


	2. Chapter 2

"Damon?" a loud whisper along with a quick poke to the chest woke Baird from his sleep, and he opened his eyes wearily. Sam knelt over him, biting her bottom lip playfully, brown eyes twinkling as her bare feet got tangled in the sheets. For a moment, the male gear was unaware as to why she was in his room, until he remembered their conversation last night, and the small gift he had left in her room a few hours afterward.

"Sam it's…" his voice was still thick with sleep as it trailed off, hands fumbling feverishly for his watch that rested on the bedside table.

"It's only seven?" The blonde mechanic dropped his head back on the pillow, bringing the blanket over his shoulders and turning over.

It was way too early to start an argument with her, but he made a mental note to start locking the door to prevent any future unwanted "intrusions".

"Baird, thank you." Sam said softly, looking fondly at the small metal pine tree in her hands, gently fingering the twinkling silver star that rested on the top branch. She had found the ornament in her room this morning, and there hadn't been any way to describe with words how much it meant to her. Although it wasn't a traditional Christmas tree, with wire needles and a pipe trunk, something about it gave Sam a sense of home, and a happiness she hadn't felt in years. For a moment after she awoke, the brunette gear debated whether or not she might be dreaming. But further inspection of the tree soon brought her to the conclusion that the distinct craftsmanship of the item could only have meant one person.

"Yeah yeah, glad your happy Byrne. Now can I please enjoy my last three minutes of sleep before getting called back to CIC?" Baird's voice interrupted Sam's train of thought and, reluctantly tuning her attention away from the object in her hand, she looked back down at her companion, giving him another gentle but firm nudge on the shoulder.

"Get up." She ordered with mock sternness, a smile growing across her face while Baird sat upright, groaning while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Right before he could stand, Sam pushed him back down, catching him off guard as his head hit the pillow again.

A surprised laugh escaped his lips, and he looked up at her with curiosity.

"Sam, what the hell are you doing?" Baird asked, trying to conceal his amusement by crossing his arms over his bare chest. She said nothing in reply, only smiled at him impishly while fumbling through the pockets of her cargo pants before finally concealing something behind her back.

"Sam?" he tried again, only to have his female companion place a finger over his lips.

He stared at her for a few silent seconds, taking in just how beautiful she looked; the morning sun that shone through the window bathed her tan skin and brunette hair in a radiant golden shine.

"Baird?" her gentle voice broke his thoughts, although he was still unable to turn his gaze away from her deep brown eyes. He hardly noticed as she tried to gesture above him with a nod of her head, both of her hands otherwise occupied; one was outstretched and above eye level, the other still planted on his lips.

Noticing the enchanted twinkle in Baird's powder blue eyes, Sam could only laugh, then slowly run her finger down his chin, bringing his head up to where her other hand held a sprig of artificial mistletoe.

However faded the old plant was, Baird still recognized its purpose immediately, and for a split second, there was something that looked like reluctance in his expression.

Noticing his reaction, Sam simply moved in closer, tip-toeing her fingers up his chest before resting her hand behind his head. Baird couldn't help but smile as she kissed his nose, his hands running through her hair before resting on the small of her back.

Their eyes locked just as they had earlier, and for a split second, they simply stared at each other, the crashing of waves the only noise in the room.

Finally, Sam laughed softly, mumbling "Merry Christmas blondie." before their lips locked in a slow, passionate kiss.


End file.
